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Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell welcomed the first reading of Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill in the House today. 

Mr Flavell says the Bill aims to recognise and provide for the mana and tino rangatiratanga that Māori have always exercised over their lands, resources and taonga.

“To achieve that purpose will be one of the most important measures that Parliament will consider for Māori in our time,” Mr Flavell says.

Mr Speaker, I move, that the Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill be now read a first time.

I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the Bill.

Mihi

The Māori Housing Network is to receive a $12.6 million boost over the next four years, helping more whānau to realise their housing aspirations, Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says.

“Māori are over-represented in housing deprivation statistics and this increase in funding would allow the Network to help more whānau in need,” Mr Flavell says.

“The Māori Housing Network is about ensuring whānau have access to safe, secure and healthy homes which in turn improve their health and wellbeing.”

An iwi-led housing project in Christchurch has been lauded today by the Minister for Māori Development as another string to the bow of positive initiatives being driven by Te Rūnanga o Ngai Tahu for whānau in their takiwā. 

Speaking today at the launch of the Addington housing project, Te Ururoa Flavell said three earthquake-affected houses relocated from Sumner and now fully renovated for whānau, “added impetus to the Rūnanga priority to enhance the economic and social wellbeing of the iwi.”

The Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament yesterday, signalling a new chapter in the 15-year endeavour by the iwi to seek redress for Treaty of Waitangi breaches by the Crown.

“The first reading of this Bill is validation of the hard work, tears, arguments, and terse moments that the people of Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa have endured to have their Bill discussed in the House”, says Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell.

At hui earlier this year, I gave an undertaking to carefully consider the Waitangi Tribunal report into the reform of Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 before introducing the Bill into Parliament.

The report, He Kura Whenua Ka Rokohanga, was released last month. I thank the Tribunal for the thorough consideration of the issues and their recommendations.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says the Treaty Settlement Claims Bills of Tauranga Moana iwi are a testament to the tribes’ determination to work together.

Tauranga Moana Iwi Collective Redress and Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill and the Ngāti Pukenga Claims Settlement Bill passed their first reading in Parliament yesterday.

“I want to pay tribute to these tribes that have united to avoid competition against each other over their treaty settlement negotiations.”

I tēnei rangi i whakaaetia te pānuitanga tuatoru a Te Pire mō te Reo Māori e te Whare Pāremata, ākuanei, ka whakamanahia tēnei pire i raro i te ture. He mea nui whakaharahara tēnei.

Kua tuhia tēnei pire ki te reo Māori me te reo Ingarihi, waihoki, ko te tuhinga reo Māori te kape matua i raro i te ture.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell will introduce Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill into Parliament. His decision comes after giving full consideration to the Waitangi Tribunal report released in March and taking extensive advice.

“I thank the Tribunal for its report He Kura Whenua ka Rokohanga and its recommendations. I have read the final report fully and believe that the issues raised in the Tribunal’s recommendations have been addressed or will be addressed as part of the reform programme,” says Mr Flavell.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell is pleased Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori (Māori Language) Bill has progressed to third reading following widespread debate by the Committee of the Whole House last night.

During the debate, the committee considered four amendments. 

The Māori Development Minister will move an amendment to the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill today to acknowledge that the Crown’s past policies and practices concerning the Māori language have had a detrimental effect on generations of iwi and Māori.

“The Crown acknowledges it has contributed to the decline in Māori language and its previous actions have had a negative impact on our language and culture”, says Te Ururoa Flavell.

Māori Development Minister, Te Ururoa Flavell, is proud to have opened a new papakāinga that will provide affordable housing options for whānau of Te Aro Pā in Wellington today.

A total of 14 homes have been built at the complex in Evans Bay, with 10 three-bedroom apartments and four single bedroom kaumātua/disability properties.

“I’m pleased to see the opening of Wellington’s first urban papakāinga which is an investment towards the health and wellbeing of Te Aro Pā descendants,” says Mr Flavell.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says the deep wounds inflicted on Taranaki and Te Ātiawa iwi can start to heal today as their Treaty Settlement Claims Bills starts their passage through Parliament.

“The settlements are only small when compared with the sustained attacks on their property and persons, the loss of their land, their leadership, their means of livelihood, their personal freedom, and their civil rights,” he says.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell has described the Rangitāne o Manawatū Claims Settlement Bill as bittersweet, as it begins its passage through Parliament today.

“The people of Rangitāne o Manawatū were subjected to legislative prejudice which made their land more susceptible to partition, fragmentation, and alienation. This was enacted in the hope that Māori would abandon their tribal and communal structures of traditional land holdings.”

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell welcomes the release of the Waitangi Tribunal’s report on the reform of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.

“I have received the Tribunal’s final report and will now consider it in its entirety”, says Mr Flavell.

“I welcomed the release of the Tribunal’s draft chapter in February and agree with its comments about the importance of retaining whenua Māori in Māori hands for future generations.

Kia hipa te Pire whaiwhai hītori nei, arā, ko te Pire mō Te Reo, i tōna pānuitanga tuarua i roto i te Whare Paremata i te rangi nei, ka tata ake tōna whakamanatia hei ture.

Kua whakahokia pūrongotia atu te pire hei pire reorua. Koinei te pire tuatahi ka whakamanatia ki te reo Māori, ki te reo Pākehā hoki, ā, ki te ara ake he tohe i waenga i ngā whakaputanga e rua, ko te whakaputanga Māori tērā ka tino whāia.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell congratulates the Wairoa community on a double celebration: Te Kura Motuhake o Te Ataarangi marks its 20th anniversary, and Te Ataarangi o Te Wairoa marks its 30th.

Te Kura Motuhake is an educational arm of Te Rūnanga o Te Ataarangi.  It is a total immersion Māori language provider based on the principles and methods of Te Ataarangi.

“The contribution of Te Kura Motuhake to the preservation, promotion and advancement of te reo and tikanga Māori is exemplary for its size and context,” says Mr Flavell.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell reconfirms today that Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill strengthens the retention of Māori land in Māori hands.            

Following questions in the House today Mr Flavell says, “Te Ture Whenua Māori goes further to strengthen the protection of Māori land”. 

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell today announced that applications are open for the 2016 round of Te Pūnaha Hiringa: Māori Innovation Fund Commercial Advisors Scheme.

Funding of more than $2 million is available to help Māori realise the economic potential of their assets.

“Through Te Pūnaha Hiringa: Māori Innovation Fund, Māori collectives can contract a commercial advisor to provide professional business advice and mentoring,” Mr Flavell says.

E te hikuroa taniwha o te whawhai mutunga kore: takoto mai, takoto mai rā!  Kei te mōteatea te ngākau, kei te heke ngā roimata me te hūpē.  E te rangatira, okioki atu rā ki te ukaipō o ō tīpuna.

Māori Development Minister, Te Ururoa Flavell joins the nation and Te Whakatōhea in mourning the passing of Dr Ranginui Walker.

“He spent his working life raising the consciousness of this nation.

The Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill, tabled back in Parliament today, introduces a new way of the Crown and Māori working together to revive te reo Māori.

“Our reo is a taonga and we all need to work together to ensure it survives and flourishes”, says Mr Flavell.

The Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill was introduced by the previous Māori Affairs Minister Hon Sir Dr Pita Sharples with the intent of giving iwi and Māori a stronger leadership role in the goal to revive te reo Māori as a living language.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell welcomes applications to the new Whenua Māori Fund. The fund will support owners and trustees of Māori land who are looking to improve their existing operations, diversify or prepare for new opportunities.

“Current use of whenua Māori by owners includes forestry, livestock, and dairy farming, or more diverse uses such as horticulture, viticulture, energy and tourism.

Ko te Pire mō Te Reo Māori, i whakatakotoria ki mua i te aroaro o te Whare Paremata i tēnei rangi, e whakamanatia ai reo Māori mai, reo Pākehā mai hoki, ā, ko te reo Māori tērā ka tino whāia.

Koinei te wā tuatahi i te hitori o Niu Tireni ka tino whāia tā te reo Māori putanga ā-ture, kaua ko tā te reo Ingarihi putanga.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell today announced the opening of the 2016 investment round for Te Pūnaha Hihiko - Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund.

“The Vision Matauranga Capability Fund, is designed to grow the skills and capacity of Māori researchers and organisations in science and innovation and support outcomes that benefit Māori and New Zealand," Mr Joyce says.

Up to $2 million per annum is available for investment in new programmes over the next two years.